Aaron Wiggins, the last guaranteed contract of the Thunder? | NBA

Selected with the 55th choice of the last Draft, Thunder prediction and betting tips NBA 2021/2022″>Aaron Wiggins is part of the long list of players “tested” by the Thunder at the moment. While the Oklahoma City franchise still has a place in its workforce, the rookie out of Maryland holds the rope to win this last jump seat.

Signed in a “two way contract”, he first evolved in the G-League, with the Blue at the start of the season, then from mid-November, he joined the pennant team. To never leave her…

“When they pass a bar, we give them a slightly higher bar and we see if they can pass it too”, details Mark Daigneault in The Oklahoman. “At the end of the day, you see where they stand. He is an example of this process. He passed all the bars we put in his way. »

Like Luguentz Dort, Moses Brown or even Deonte Burton, Aaron Wiggins is in a good position to go from an almost anonymous Draft choice signed for a “two-way contract” to a classic contract, and above all, guaranteed. He needed 12 games to set his career-high 24 points against the Pelicans.

Spent three years at the University of Maryland, after being spotted at Wesleyan where he played alongside Jaylen Hoard, Aaron Wiggins is a mature player, who makes very few mistakes. Truth be told, he scores the majority of his points on sharp cuts to the circle well felt, in the right timing, served by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or his Draft comrade, Josh Giddey.

In an ideal situation in the nursery of the Thunder

“We had seen him in Chicago at the Combine and we had already thought he was interesting”, continues Mark Daigneault. “He seemed to have a very good sense of what he needs to do on the pitch. »

Used primarily as a defensive specialist, on the opposing big scorers, Aaron Wiggins was recently put to the test defensively against Luka Doncic, and he did not come out too badly, holding the Mavs “Wonderboy” to 14 points at 6/14 on shots, 10 assists but for 7 stray bullets…

Holder in 13 of the last 15 games of the Thunder (with 21 minutes in the key), Aaron Wiggins is at 7 points and 3 rebounds on average. But more than his stats, he is very happy to be able to play his luck fully.

“It’s one of the things we rookies are most grateful for. It’s having an opportunity. To have the chance to grow. (…) I don’t worry about what happens behind the scenes because it’s out of my control.” concludes the 23-year-old fullback. ” I found myself in the perfect situation because all I wanted was to have a team that believed in me and could put me in a position to succeed. Regardless of my draft position, Oklahoma City is where I’m happy to be. »